Happy-almost-Friday! This week so far has been good to me, and I'm that mush more excited for Friday to be here annnnd the weekend right behind it.

Yesterday, I was SO lucky to meet one of my all time favorite Vegan Idols, Chef Chloe Coscarelli. I'm certain I must have mentioned her mannny times on my blog, and it's probably because she is one of the main reasons I went full vegan and continue to live a plant based lifestyle. Her recipes are amazzzing, and she is so super creative when it comes to making your old non-vegan favs, completely vegan (and healthy!). Meeting her at her first book signing in NY, on the first day her newest book was released, was by far the highlight of my week. Excited to dive in and try some of these bomb.com dishes over my weekend off. Stay tuned ;)

Anyhow, this flatbread. omgs. yum. It involves the most simple ingredients, but they come together in the most flavorful way. Its crazy! Something about adding that bit of balsamic glaze at the end, and to top off with a whipped homemade Vegan Almond Ricotta baked to perfection. Droooling thinking of it. I've made my fair share of pizzas before, and they usually involve a thin, crispy crust. But this time, I wanted a doughy, fluffy base. Totally out of my element... The perfect touch. Voila!

Here you have it. One of life's simple pleasures. A loaded flatbread, topped with all things to keep you cozy during this cold March (ehhh). OH! Can we discuss this random snow storm?! When will spring be here though. Patiently. Waiting.Enjoy! xx

PREP: Begin by dicing everything up and setting aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees fahrenheit. Take the pizza dough out & cut into two equal parts. Roll out and form 2 equal rectangular shapes- set aside (on silpat or parchment paper).SAUTEE: In a large cast iron or skillet over medium heat, add a small splash of olive oil. Once hot, toss in the garlic, shallot, plus red pepper flakes + a pinch of salt. Cook for just a minute or two until fragrant & softened. Then, add in the mushrooms. Sautee for about 8-10 minutes, until water releases, mushrooms are cooked well, and the smellllls are amazeeee. Kill the heat.BAKE!: Top the dough rounds with the mushroomy mixture. Plop a few dollops of the "ricotta", and sprinkle a bit of vegan parm. Finish off with fresh cracked pepper + a small drizzle of olive oil- pop in the oven. Cook for about 15-20 minutes, until edges are golden. In the last minute of cooking, top your flatbreads with fresh arugula and a general drizzle of the balsamic mixture. This REALLY makes it. Let cool & enjoy!

ALMOND RICOTTA

1 cup of slivered blanched almonds

1 Tbs of nutritional yeast flakes

2 Tbs of lemon juice

1/4 tsp of white pepper

1/4 tsp of sea salt

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs of water

BLEND!: In a high speed blender, add all ingredients and blend while stopping a bit to scrape down the sides. You want it to be smooth, but a little bit gritty like real ricotta. Taste & adjust with whatever you feel might be necessary, but note the flavors will develop as it sets after a day in the fridge. Use right away, or store in an airtight container.